Iuze Mukube 

A mother implicated in the murder of her nine-year-old daughter, Akundaishe Natalie Chipomho, insists she was never informed of her rights or the reason for her arrest. 

Rachel Kureva, alongside Edwaard Nkata and his wife Caroline Nkata, stand accused of killing Chipomho in Windhoek between 23 and 25 January 2020. 

The trio faces one count of murder and further counts of violating a dead body, defeating or attempting to defeat the course of justice, fraud, alternatively uttering a forged document, forgery and contravening the Immigration Control Act. 

During the trial-within-a-trial, the Nkatas, who are challenging the admissibility of their statements, argued that they were not properly informed of their rights at the time of, or before, their arrest. 

Kureva, who also took the stand last Thursday during the continuation of the trial-within-a-trial, recalled that police came to her workplace and took her to the flat where all the three accused had been staying together. 

She testified that police officers informed her they had come to take her to her residence and that they were investigating a murder case, stating that it was a serious matter. 

The accused mother responded she did not ask any further questions, as it was not something she expected to hear. 

When questioned by the State, she said she believed she had asked for an explanation, but the officers told her they had to leave, so she assumed the details would be explained to her later. 

She said nobody spoke to her after they arrived at the flat and she just remembered someone saying they wanted the keys to the house. 

She told them the keys were with the Nkatas and proceeded to call Edward Nkata and responded to the State that she did not know why several men were in front of the flat or why Commissioner Nelius Becker was at her residence. 

She was vehement that she never had a conversation with Becker or anybody else. 

Hence, she denied having told the officer or anyone else that her child was in Zimbabwe. 

She emphasised she even asked what was happening, but the officers continued their tasks in silence. 

The State put it to her that Becker could not have told her about what he was investigating and that he arrested her after she stated the child was in Zimbabwe. 

Kureva said Becker never informed her she was under arrest or that a girl had been found. 

“The officers did not introduce themselves or give any instructions or explanations, and I was never shown a search warrant. 

I was there; I was confused, and it was a confusing scenario. They took me from work to the flat, and nobody explained anything,” she testified. 

She remembered being taken to the police station and informed that her daughter was dead. 

“It was a traumatic experience. I was in a confused state as I was taken to the police station, and the next day I was told the gruesome news. That is why I say I was confused and shocked,” she said. 

The matter continues in court. 

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